Tea-measuring machine



Aug. 26, 1930. s. COOPER TEA MEASURING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 1. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 MlII-Ib nl-nlnnv lilllll lz tip; 111

' avwentoz Aug. 25, 1930. s. cooPE 1,774,354

TEA MEASURING MACHINE 1 Original Filed Sept. 1, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 26, 1930. s. COOPER 1,774,354

TEA MEASURING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 1. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 fi'mv $1 Slime/i Aug. 26, 1930. 5 COQPER 1,774,354

' TEA MEASURING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 1. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 a t Emm Patented Au 26, 1933) warren stars-s PATENT G'FPIQE SIil/ION COOFER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNGR TO COGPEH TEA PACKET 00.,

INCL, OF BTEGOKLYN, HEW

YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK TEA-MEASURING REA CHINE Application filed September-'1, 1321', Serial No. 497,789. Renewed January 21, 1930.

The general objects of the present inven tion are to provide simple and practical ap- Daratus for measuring out tea in relatively small quantities such as used in the familiar muslin tea bag.

The dried tea leaves because of their irregular size and shape and their light Weight are particularly difficult of measurement, especially in the small quantities mentioned, and further special objects of the invention are to overcome these diihculties and such a way as to obtain. rapid-,eaccurate measurement.

Another special object of the invention is to provide simple andpractical means for adjusting the machine to measure different quantities of material.

These objects are attained in theapparatus disclosed in the accompanying drawings by means of certain novel features-10f construction, combinations vand relations; ct parts, as will be pointed out more indetail. in the specification followin As: these. drawings are primarily of .an illustrative character, however, it will be understood that the structure may be modified in various respects Without departure from the true spirit and scope of the invention, and I further wish it understood that the terms which I. have used hereinare employed in a descriptive rather than in a limiting sense, except for such limitations as may be required by thevprior art.

Figure 1 in the drawings referred to is a side View, and

Figure 2 is a front view of the machine, certain parts being broken away'ior lack oi space in each of these views. a

Figure 3 isan enlarged plan and partihorizontal sectional view as taken on substantially the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 5.

Figure i is a vertical. sectional view taken on substantially the plane of line H of Figure ,1.

Fig'u'ce is a similar viewtaken on sub st-antiallytlie plane of line 5-5 of-Figure'Q;

Figure 631's a. broken detail view showing.

an end elevation of the device shownin ure 3.

In the machine illustrated ,ithe ten, 11] ibullz,

is placed in a hopper 7 and is discharged in measured quantities from the base of this hopper, through a discharge chute S, into'the bags or other containers. The hopper preferably has inclined sides, as shown, so as to cause the material to gravitate into a threat or measuring chamber 9 at the head of the discharge chute.

The measurement of the char e is effected in this chamber between upper and lower oppositely working grates, illustrated particularly in Figure The upper grateconsists of a set of laterally spaced forwardly projecting pointed pins 10 carried by the i r wall ofthe reciprocating slide 11 and onerating through. guide openings 12 provided in the opposite side walls of the measuring chamber, and the lower grate consists eta similar series of rearwardly proj; sting later ally spaced pins 13 carried by the forwardend of the slide 11 and operating through openings 14- in the opposite side walls 0 measuring chamber. 'lhetwo sets pins are preferably arranged in overlapping relation, as shown, the extent of overl p being sub stautially equivalent to the idle of the measuring chamber so that the upper grate it adva es will operate a ciit oii' alve to close oil the hopper before the lower grate is withtlraivu tar euou 'h to dis-cha measured quantity oi n =='al caught :between the upper and low Tile guide through without binding. a

This measuring operation will possibly be best understood from Figure 5' where it will be seen that in the pot LlOll of the grate-like valve members there shown, the lower member will support the body oi tea l ed down from the hopper into the i'neasuring chamher, and as this member is retracted in the movement of the slide toward the left, the upper member will cut a measured char e and at the same time provide a support for the body of tea above the same and further that this-upper member, by reason at the overlapping relation described, comes into this supporting position before the lower memher releases the charge which has thus been measured oil.

The pins and 13 ot the two horizontal grate elen'ients are shown as ren'iovably sup ported on the slide by being cated in openings 15 provided therejtor in he upright, rear and front walls 16, 17 of slide, said pins having heads 18 at their outer ends set l'lush in the supports 16,17 and covered by the hol.d ing plates 19, which plates are detachably secured by screws or other suitable fastening devices 20. Upon the removal of these cover plates it will be evident that any one or a number of the pins may be witl drawn. '.ll1is enables easy replacement of any pins which may become worn or injured.

The slide which carries the two sets of pins operates in suitable guideways deiined by plates 21 and is reciprocated by any suitable means such as a link connected with a crank (the latter not shown).

Because of the contracted nature of the throat at the entrance to the measuring chamber, the dried tea leaves nave a tendency to bridge across the foot of the hopper (Figure 5) and thus shut ol'ii' the llow. To overtiff come this tendency and insure the proper feeding of the material down into the measuring chamber, without in uring the trail and 3 more or less brittle tea leaves, I provide a feed plunger made up in the illustration of a plurality of pointed pins or prongs 23 dependent itrom a vertically reciprocating head 24, and operating down through the contracted throat portion of the hopper. These pins are shown in Figures 4 and 5 as more widely spaced than the grate pins, so as to work through the mass and prevent the formation of bridges, without breaking individual leaves. On the down stroke, these plungers exert a feeding tendency and this teinlcncy is increased and made more positive by forming the pins with enlarged shouldered portions 25. These shoulder." shown as of tapered or beveled form so as to slightly conipact the mass at this point, above the lower constricted part where the bridges ordinarily would occur. Thus, the long reduc d lower end portions of the plunger pins serve to prevent the bridging action, where such action n'iight occur and the shoulders, located above this zone, operate to feed the loose mass down into the measuring compartment.

The reciprocating head oi the feed plunger is shown as guided at 26 on the uprights and as actuated by a link 28 conner cd with a crank disc 29.

The parts are preferably so timed that the feed plunger makes several strokes when the lower discharge grate is in its advanced position supporting the material. in the measuring chamber, as shown in Figure 5. This enables the plunger to compact the charge somewhat, thus insuring tull equal charges. ()n the forward stroke t the upper catch grate the plunger is retrz'icted, thereby relieving the mass of pressure and enabling the cut-oil pins to readily penetrate the loosened body of material.

The above mentioned timing may be obtained by any suitable mechanism. In the form shown, the arm 22 of the horizontal slide is operated by a rocker arm 103 and cam 102 carried by shaft 101, the latter shaft being operated from the shaft driving the arm 28.

The size or quantity of the measured charge is varied in the illustration by means of a gage plate shown at 30 in Figure 4 as slidingly adjustable in the bottom of the hopper, across the throat ot the measuring chan'ibcr, and having a dependent or down turned inner end portion 31 serving in efl ect as an adjustable end wall for such chamber. This wall is shown as adjusted by means of a handle rod extending through an opening 33 in the fixed end wall 3% of the throat and received in a slot provided in the side of the slide 11. The gage portion 31 01'' this plate is, as clearly shown in Figure -1 oi? less thickness than the space between the cut-oli. pins so that said pins can pass to opposite sides of the plate irrespective of its adjusted position, and in order that said plate shall always be set in proper position to have the pins pass to opposite sides of the same I have shown the adjusting handle as provided with grooves 36 spaced in accordance with the spacing of the cut-oil pins and adapted to receive an adjustable stop shown in the form of a lever 37 pivoted on the supporting base at 38 and adapted to be dropped down into any one of these notches or grooves.

It will be seen that upon lifting the positioning stop 37 the gage plate is tree to be Shifted either inward or outward, to (.lccrcase or increase the size oi the measuring chamher and that once the adjustment is made, the parts are secured in the desired relation by simply drol'iping the stop down into the nearest notch in the shifting handle. The stop is made to lit closely in these notches so as to insure proper positioning of the gage plate and so as to prevent shitting of this plate during operation of the machine.

It is desirable to have the plunger pins extend fully down into the contracted throat of the hopper and to prevent these pins from interfering with the plate when the same is adjusted inwardly, 1 preferably make them readily movable from the reciprocating head which supports them, as by screw-thr \ading their upper ends and dctachably engaging them in screw seats provided in the head, as indicated at 39. Figure 4t shows clearly how when the measuring chamber has been shortened, one or any desired number of the plunger pins may be readily removed.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In a machine of the character disclosed,

a passage forming a measuring chamber, an upper series of cut-ofl pins arranged to cross said chamber from one side thereof, a lower series of discharge pins arranged to cross the chamber from the opposite side thereof, a reciprocatory feed element above the cut-off pins adapted to prevent bridging of the material within the measuring chamber and means for simultaneously reciprocating the two sets of pins.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which the inner ends of the two sets of pins stand in overlapping relation substantially equal to the width of the measuring chamber.

3. In combination with the structure of claim 1 in which the feed element consists of a vertically reciprocating feed plunger head having a series of spaced pins operating above the cut-off pins. I

4. In a machine of the character disclosed, a passage forming a measuring chamber, an upper series of cut-oii" pins arranged to cross said chamber from one side thereof, a lower series of discharge pins arranged to cross the chamber from the opposite side thereof, a feed element above the cut-oif pins operating to prevent bridging of the material in the measuring chamber, said feed element comprising a vertically reciprocating plunger head having a series of reed pins spaced a greater distance apart than the cut-off pins and means for simultaneously reciprocating the cut-off and discharge pins.

5. The combination of claim 4 in which the feed pins may be varied in number.

6. In a machine of the character disclosed, a measuring chamber having upper and lowor guide openings in opposite side walls thereof, a slide frame having a series of spaced cut-on and discharge pins secured in opposite sides of the same operating respectively in the upper and lower guide openings, a

gage plateadapted to be positioned between the cut-off pins to vary the capacity of the measuring chamber and means for simultaneously reciprocating said frame and pins.

7 In a machine of the character disclosed, a measuring chamber having upper and lower guide openings in opposite side Walls there of, a slide frame having a series of spaced cut-ofi and discharge pins secured in opposite sides of the same operating respectively in the upper and lower guide openings, a gage plate positioned between the cut-off pins to vary the capacity of the measuring chamber, means for adjustably securing the gage plate in its desired set position and means for simultaneously reciprocating said frame and pins.

8. In a machine of the character disclosed, a hopper having a discharge chamber in the bottom thereof,'vertically reciprocating pin plungers operating in the hopper over said discharge chamber, a cut-ofi grate consisting of a series of spaced pins operating throu h-one side of me dischar e chamber e: 2: a a discharge grate below the cut ofii grate QHCI'CODSlStlHg of a series of spaced pins operating throughthe opposite side of the dis charge chamber, means for causing the two grates to enter the discharge chamber in opposite directions and means for lowering "the i in lun 'ers when the lower rate is in advanced position and for lifting the pin '10. The combination of claim 9 in which V the plungers havereduced lower end portions and shoulders above such reduced portions for compactin the material 111 the hopper.

11. In a machine of the character disclosed,

a feed hopper provided with a discharge throat, a feed plunger cooperating with said *throat and comprising a series of reciprocating spaced pins having reduced lower end portions and'enlargements above the same ior compacting the material being fed and measured-charge-forming devices operating in the discharge throat.

'12-. In a machine of the character disclosed, a passage forming a measuring chamber. a slide having end portions disposed externally of and at opposite sides of the measuring chamber, a series of cut-off pins carried by one end portion of the slide and operating through one side of the measuring chamber, a se s of discharge pins carried by the opposite end portion of the slide above the first set of pins and operating through the opposite side of the measuring chamber and means for reciprocating said slide.

18. The combination of claim 12 in which the inner ends of the two sets of pins overlap to an extent substantially equal to the width of the measuring CAZlDlbEl' and in which the measuring chamb is provided in both sides thereof with guide openings tor said pins.

1 The combination of claim 12 in which the pins are supported at their outer ends in the end portions of the slides and are detachably held therein by removable cover plates overstanding the outer ends of the pins.

15. The combination or" claim 12 in which one of the walls of the measuring chamber is relatively adjustable and means are provided for securing said adjustable wall in variously adjusted relations and tree of the pins aforesaid.

16. In a machine of the character disclosed, a measuring chamber having an adjustable wall for varying the capacity of said chainlUU her and upper and lower rererseiy operating sets of cut-off and discharge pins operating; across the measuring chaniher irrespecti e of the *aried adjustments of the Wall aieresaid.

17. In a aachine of the character disclosed, the combination with a hepper having a (iis charge tin-eat SCI of spaced pins operating across said (II, charge threat and a wage plat-e adjustable in said discharge threat and of a thickness less than the space between adjacent pi: s: to thereby enable and pins to pass to opposite sides of the same.

18. In the combination of ciaiin 1.7, mean:

for adjusting and securing); the graeje plate i1 register with the spaces between the pins.

19, In the combination 0i. claim 17, means for securing the gage plate in register with the spaces between the pins and including a reicasihie atop and a shifting nien'iher for the gage plate having notches engageahie by said step.

20. The Si'l'UCiTHlG (It ciaiin 1 in which the pins are pointed 0r tapered to readily work through the inatcriai Without friction or tendency to hrcak the inatcriai.

21. The structure of ciaini 1 in which said cnt-oiT and (ischaree pins are painted, or tapered, and in which the feed element cen- Sists at a plunger head having pointe r-mi pins; arranged to reciprocate at an angle to said cntcii' and discharge pins.

In testin'iony whereof I my Signature.

SIMON COOPER 

